Former Record photographer to host major exhibition
IN A career spanning more than five decades, Alistair has captured some of the defining images of celebs including Sean Connery, Gordon Ramsay, Carol Smillie and Billy Connolly. He also came up with the idea of snapping 100 Old Firm fans in the nude.
Now, former Daily Record snapper Alistair is staging his first major exhibition called If You Don’t Ask. Alistair, who has worked around the globe capturing famous faces for the likes of Hello magazine, said: “All of my pictures are ‘in camera’ – there is no image enhancement. Nothing is added or taken out. “Sean Connery was brilliant. I photographed him three or four times in my career.
“I’ve known Billy Connolly since 1979. God knows how many bevvy sessions I had with him. He is my favourite comedian and fantastic fun to be with socially or in a photoshoot.
“I came up with the idea of getting Gordon Ramsay to stand in a loch. He wore a white diving suit underneath because you would have seen a black diving suit coming through the shirt.”
Recalling his revealing Old Firm fan photo, he said: “There had been a riot at Hampden Park and a lot of photographers were injured – the Daily Record sports photographer spent three months in hospital. “The appalling images went all over the world. Over two decades later I thought, ‘Why not get 100 Celtic and Rangers fans to show Scotland in a better light?”
Alistair remains in huge demand at home and abroad but admits he has turned down an assignment for personal reasons. He said: “I moved to New York at one point and [legendary Scots photographer] Harry Benson set me up with some magazines. I had the chance to work for Time magazine in New York but I couldn’t give up my dog.”
● Alistair Devine’s If You Don’t Ask runs from April 5 to June 8 at Ayr’s Maclaurin Art Gallery.
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Gordon Ramsay in Loch Lomond during 2003. (Image: Alistair Devine)
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Model Ryan Creighton photographed with Dunure Castle as the backdrop in 2020 for the We Love Kilts calendar. Location - Dunure Castle, Scotland. (Image: Alistair Devine)
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Sir Sean Connery with a lion rampant projected on his forehead for the Incorporation of Goldsmiths worldwide exhibition in 2007. Picture taken in Edinburgh. Model Ryan Creighton photographed with Dunure Castle as the backdrop in 2020 for the We Love Kilts calendar. (Image: Alistair Devine)
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